The execution and planning of a CT scan (CT: computed tomography) requires a certain amount of knowledge and experience in order to obtain a satisfactory image result. To an increasing extent, the complex settings of the CT device are performed by the device itself according to examination scenarios that are entered by the operator or scan protocols that are selected by the operator. Partially automated mechanisms are also known, e.g. the automatic or semi-automatic choice of the X-ray voltage.
However, when executing CT scans which involve the injection of a contrast medium, in addition to specifying the configuration parameters of the CT device, it is also necessary to specify the quantity of a contrast medium that is required for the scan.
At present, both the flow of a contrast medium and the quantity of a contrast medium are calculated entirely manually for each patient individually. In many cases, this requires an experienced doctor who is responsible for the calculations relating to the injection of a contrast medium. In other cases, a conservative estimate of the required quantity is usually made, and a sufficient yet generally excessive quantity of a contrast medium is thus administered.
In addition to information that relates directly to the patient, e.g. weight, age, gender, kidney condition, etc., configuration parameters for the CT device are also important in correctly specifying the quantity of a contrast medium. This data is manually included by the operator and used for calculating the quantity of a contrast medium. However, this is demanding and susceptible to error, particularly if the calculation if not performed by a doctor.